Engine lubrication and ventilation system



ENGINE LUBRICATION AND VENTILATION SYSTEM Filed June 18, 1956 JACK PECHENIK l ATTOR YS United States Patent Office 2,902,022 u Patented Sept. 1, 1959 ENGINE LUBRICATION AND VENTILATION SYSTEM a Laurence li). Bakke, Plymouth, and Jack Pechenik, Oak

Park, Mich., assiguors to Continental Motors Corporation, Detroit and Muskegon, Mich., a corporation of Virginia l Application June 18, 1956, Serial No. 591,888

2 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 196) i iield particularly, the increased cost of engines due to the necessity of effective lubricating means has heretofore confronted the manufacturer and customer alike.

An object of the present invention is to do away completely with such systems by providing a means for introducing and then condensing crankcase oil vapors in the valve rocker box, the condensed oil then being deposited on the valve mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to decrease manufacturing costs of internal combustion engines by providing a simplified lubrication system integrated with the crankcase breather system.

A further object of the invention is to provide elective lubrication of overhead valve mechanisms by connecting the valve rocker box in series with the crankcase breather -system and facilitating the condensation of oil vapor within the valve rocker box.

A still further object of the present invention is to simplify lubrication of the overhead valve mechanisms by providing connections between the suction pressure of the intake side of the engine air cleaner and the valve rocker box, and between the valve rocker box and the crankcase, whereby to urge crankcase oil vapor through the valve rocker box where it condenses for lubrication purposes.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention in which like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which Fig. l is an elevational cross-section through a preferred type of engine utilizing the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the essential operating features of the invention.

An internal combustion engine is illustrated in Fig. l as having a crankcase 11 preferably provided with an oil pan 12 as shown and having a cylinder 13 and cylinder head 14 of conventional construction. An overhead type valve 15 is mounted in the cylinder head by means of a valve guide 16 and is provided with a conventional valve spring 17.

A crankshaft 18 operating in the crankcase 11 preferably drives a camshaft 19 through driving and driven gears 20 and 21 respectively. A pushrod 22 is operatively connected to the camshaft 19 by a conventional tappet 23 guided in a tappet guide 23a and operates a 2. rocker arm 24 preferably pivotally mountedon the cylinder head 14.

A valve'rocker box 30 is secured to the cylinder head 14 by screw 31 or other'means and the interior of the valve rocker box 30 is openly connected as at 32 yto the top end of a tubular pushrod housing 33, the lower end of same preferably being connected as shown to the crankcase 11 at the tappet guide 23a.

A piston 35 reciprocating in the cylinder 13 is connected in conventional fashion -to the crankshaft 18 by a piston rod 36, which carries an oil dipper 37 operating to splash lubricate the engine parts operating in the crankcase 11. t

An orifice 40 through the tappet guide 23a permits crankcase lubricating oil vapors to pass into an annular chamber 41 formed between the pushrod 22 and the pushrod housing 33,A and upward to the interior of the rockerjbox 30.y A vent outlet'42 is provided in the rocker box 30 and is preferably located remotely from the open connection at 32 between the pushrod housing 33 and the rocker'box 30, so that'the oil vapors may pass over the rockenarm 24 and valve mechanism. This system is in'essence the `craiikcasebreather or ventilation system, the crankcase; being-otherwise substantially sealed.

In order to provide positive venting of the crankcase through this breather system, a conduit 43 connects the vent outlet 42 to a source of suction pressure, such as the induction air intake side of an air cleaner 44, shown in Fig. 2, having an air inlet -45 and an outlet 46 connected in any suitable manner, such as by a conduit 47 to an engine carburetor 48. The arrows in Fig. 2 indicate the flow of air and oil vapors through the system.

The rocker box 30 and the pushrod housing 33 being exteriorly located with respect to the rest of the engine 10, they are cooled by the surrounding air. The oil vapors sweeping over the interior of the rocker box 30 and the pushrod housing 33 are consequently cooled, to condense and fall on Ithe valve mechanism, providing effective lubrication of the valve stern and spring, the rocker arm pivot, and the pushrod parts. The excess oil is permitted to drain back down the pushrod housing 33 for lubricating the tappet 2.3 in its guide 23a and then to return to the c-rankcase. The floor of the housing, being a portion of the cylinder head 14, slopes upwardly from the pushrod housing 33 to facilitate this drainage.

A baille 50 is secured by any means in the rocker box 30 or 'as an integral part of the rocker box 30, closely adjacent the vent outlet 42, substantially preventing condensed oil from being sucked out of the vent outlet 42.

In essence lthe rocker box 30 and the pushrod housing 33 are connected in series with the crankcase breather system, the oil vapors saturating and condensing on the valve mechanism operating parts for lubrication purposes, eliminating the need for oil pumps or other lubrication systems and devices.

It will also be observed that the sizes of the orifice 40 and the vent outlet 42 are critical, since the too large openings would permit excessive vapors to be drawn through the system into the air cleaner 44, and too small openings would not suice for effective breathing or lubrication. The sizes will depend on the depressing effect of the air cleaner intake and the sizes of parts for diierent types of engines.

Although we have described but one preferred embodirnent of the present invention, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a lubrication system for an internal combustion 5 engine having a crankcase in which oil vapors are collected, a cylinder and cylinder head structure provided with intake and exhaust valves, a rocker box housing, valve .actuatingmeanstin said housing, and a Vcrankcase breathing means, said rocker box housing .operilyhconnected in series with said crankcase breathing means, said housing comprising a rocker Yarm housing and a pushrod housing ,openly connected at one Vend to said rocker arm 4housing ,and at -the .other end to said crankcase interior, said rocker arm housing having a vapor outlet disposed remotely from lthepushrod housing connection and connected to a source .of suction whereby pressure Within the Acrankcase urges ,the oil vapor from said `crankcase successively `throughsaid pushrod housing and said rocker .arm housing, and a bathe carried in said rocker arm housing and in close proximity to said vapor foutlet, said vapor .outlet andsaid -bafe being .disposed substantially vertically ,above said valve .actuating means whereby .oil .condensing on said baie will .drip on said valveactuating frneans to Alubricate same.

2. In a lubrication system for .an internal combustion engine having a .crankcase .in .which oil vapors are collected, a cylinder and cylinder head structure provided with intake and exhaust valves, `a rocker .box housing, valve actuating means in `said housing, and a rcrankcase breathing means, .said yrocker box rhousing openly connected in series with said crankcase breathing means,

said housing comprising a rocker arm housing `and a pushrod housing openly connected at one end to said rocker arm housing and `at the other end to said crankcase interior, said rocker arm housing having a vapor outlet disposed remotely from -the pushrod housing connection and connected to Y-a source of suction whereby pressure within the crankcase -urges the oil vapor from said crankcase successively through said pushrod housing and said rocker arm housing, and a balie carried in said rocker arm housing `and in close proximity to said vapor outlet, said vapor outlet `and said baffle being disposed substantially vertically above said `valve actuating means whereby oil condensed on said baiile will drip on said valve actuating means to lubricate, said rocker arm housing having a lower surface substantially inclined upward from said Ypushrod housing connection to facilitate oil drainage from said rocker box housing into said pushrod housing.

References Citedzin the le of this patent UNITED STATES 'PATENTS 1,078,919 Hau g Nov. 1-8, 1913 V1,408,179 ADu Pont Feb. 28, 1922 1,472,426 Brush c- 'Oct 30, `1923 1 659 528 Hosterman Feb. 14. 1928 s. v. .M4-...1 

